Tanzania

From this video I get the sense that the pace of development is the extreme edge of rapid and the extreme edge of slow. 

Development patterns in many African cities look surprisingly similar to American cities. The land usage is mixed between areas of high density housing, low density housing, single family homes, multi family homes, high rises, auto-oriented boulevards, pedestrian oriented commercial streets, auto-oriented businesses, all in various states of cohesion or non-cohesion. This is mad different from much of what you will find around the World, where cities have endless neighborhoods consisting of typical high to super high population density. High density is typical for big cities in most of the World, except America. Interesting to see similarities from a place so different. 

 

Blue into Red

 What's the feasible conservative alternative to destructive liberal policies? I think savvy voters in big blue cities should ask this question. Maybe a conservative candidate who understands its constituency will turn over a traditionally major blue city. I don't see it happening through. 

City Observations

Harlem is Black downtown. 

The major street running through the CBD is flanked by multinational corporations, such as Marshalls. 

Los Angeles is Suburbia Prime, which is major, because most of the US is suburban by design. 

L.A.

LA is like somebody took a mid-sized city and stretched it out forever, it has about 100 Western Avenue sized streets, and never ending traffic. Much of LA lies on wide, well traveled streets, creating a "pit stop" effect for cities and commerce. Everyone is on there way to somewhere. 

New York in the 70s and 80s.

 I'm infatuated with New York City in the 70s and 80s. I saw footage the other day that rekindled my infatuation. It was of businesses somewhere Downtown or Midtown Manhattan. What was remarkable about the storefronts is they had a very dusty, homegrown look to it. These streets, that are probably jam packed with upscale shopping or chain stores today, once had Mom and Pop businesses, in gritty stone tenements, with old furniture, hand-made signs and fluorescent lighting.  Looking at the footage of the decayed neighborhoods in the Bronx, you see the vibrancy that still exists on some blocks. How can someplace be so vacated, yet so vibrant? You also see the people and businesses keeping the neighborhood alive as they can, young people expressing themselves with this new colorful culture of Hip Hop. There's a certain innocence through adversity that is unique to that time period. 

Check out this cool montage of the Bronx in the 70's and 80's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zqGiLPbW8&t=350s

If you have a few hours to spare, check out the classic Hip Hop movie, Beat Street, (now Free on youtube). Watching this now is like watching a time capsule of a lost civilization: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWF-MraGWZQ